The Fun Way to Learn

Magdy, Wesam. “How Cartoons Affect Children’s Behavior?” Rowad al Khaleej International Schools, 8 June 2023, www.rowad-alkhaleej.edu.sa/how-cartoons-affect-childrens-behavior/.

For my final product, I want to make a youtube channel with some videos on how kids can take care of their blood sugars and how they can learn from their consequences. I want little kids to better understand their condition in simpler terms so that they are able to talk to their parents and be able to discuss their own needs. Robinson and Shaw stated that cartoons and animations help children better visualize things they hear. It also lets them grasp important information with simpler terms. Discussing important and critical issues with educational cartoons help with the child’s cognitive development and their behavior in their life. For example, learning more about type 1 diabetes and the steps to maintaining good blood sugar will allow them to better their minds on calculating carbs and insulin. It will also enhance their behavior with discipline by following a good routine for their lifestyle. 

Studies also demonstrate that children usually will copy or imitate things they see on TV or youtube when they watch things repeatedly. This means that the videos must be engaging and really enhanced with interactions so that the  child will want to keep watching the videos over and over again. This will also make a more stable routine for the child to actually practice choosing the proper foods, counting carbs, calculating the amount of insulin, and being able to set times to check their blood sugars. Colors also play an important role in grabbing the child’s attention. This will lead me to use the appropriate bright colors for when talking about a specific subject. For example, when talking about blood sugars, I will use shades of red, when talking about carbs I will use shades of brown, when talking about insulin, I will use bright shades of blue. This will be able to get the child to become more interested in the videos. I also want to add interactive methods into the videos so that the child gets an idea of actually being able to participate in counting carbs or calculating the amount of insulin instead of just watching the video. 

Any child that watches cartoons, uses their senses to make connections in their brain about themselves and the subject of the cartoon. This is why I might make the main character in my youtube video also a type one diabetic. This will allow a better connection between the child and the show. It will also give a sense of inclusion and a sense of comfort knowing that other people, kids, have the same condition as they do. I will also add other characters in the videos that are friends of the protagonist, this will show a sense of community. I can also show videos that the protagonist is in the doctor’s office so that they understand how doctor visits go, and how they can prepare themselves for the types of treatments that they can get. For example, insulin shots, insulin pumps, blood sugar monitors, and many other devices.